NCAA sanctions shouldn't hurt Miami recruiting

Not even six hours after the Hurricanes received the NCAA Committee on Infractions’ report Tuesday, Al Golden’s program added another commitment, flipping junior college defensive tackle Michael Wyche from his Southern California pledge.

So no, you shouldn't expect the NCAA’s sanctions to affect the Hurricanes on National Signing Day 2014.

Despite receiving from the NCAA loss of nine scholarships, to be levied over the next three years, the Hurricanes are poised to sign the best recruiting class in Golden’s tenure as head coach — and before Wyche, all of the players currently committed to UM pledged when the threat of sanctions still hung over UM.

For the better part of three seasons, Al Golden has had to recruit with the threat of major NCAA sanctions lingering. Today’s decision, while still a sanction, frees Golden and his staff on recruiting trail. Hurricanes coaches have a concrete restriction they can explain to prospects, and the detriment of doubt, which was arguably the strongest sanction the NCAA could have levied, is no longer a factor.

For Dillard’s Dennis Turner, who committed to Miami this June, said the ruling today was a positive — especially the fact that Miami did not receive any further bowl bans from the NCAA.

“It’s great that they get to play in a bowl,” Turner said in a text message, noting he thinks it will help South Florida kids “stay home” and sign with Miami in 2014 and beyond.

With the commitment of Wyche, Miami has 27 committed players for 2014, and could sign as many as 28 if it so desired. It’s unlikely that Miami will sign all of its current commitments on Feb. 5, 2014, so Hurricanes coaches are holding space for a few top recruits, like Dwyer wide receiver Johnnie Dixon and St. Thomas Aquinas defensive tackle, who are yet to make a commitment.

Miami has been operating with approximately 75 scholarship players for the last two seasons thanks to self-imposed sanctions (Miami has declined to give a definitive figure and cancelled press availability for the remainder of the week). With 18 seniors set to leave, there will be some big board finagling to get the Hurricanes into an area of scholarship complacency — though it stands to gain scholarships in transferring from self-imposed sanctions to the NCAA’s.

The biggest hit Miami took in recruiting is the NCAA’s limitation on unofficial visits — specifically stating that Miami can only give complimentary admission to a prospect unofficially visiting Sun Life Stadium for a Hurricanes game once per season.

For any other school, that isn’t a big deal, but Miami thrives on unofficial visits from South Florida prospects. Unofficial visits to games get hundreds of prospects in the door, and many take advantage of the free tickets more than once a year. Furthermore, Miami doesn’t require local players to take an official visit, and that’s something that’s appreciated by four and five star players that are looking to make the most out of the free travel universities provide on those officials. A South Florida player not having to use an official visit to get the full Miami game experience for a second time has kept the Hurricanes in the hunt for top local players in the past.

The Hurricanes will regain its full slate of official visits — Miami had been using only 36 the past year — evaluations days and contact days. Those additions alone might negate the effects of the unofficial visit sanctions.